6. Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, & Volcanoes

Scientists have measured the rate of growth of the Atlantic Ocean basin to be about 2 to 3 cm per year. This type of activity coincides with the formation of ridges on the ocean floor. What is the MOST likely cause of this activity?

• flow of continental basalt

• movement of tectonic plates

• erosion of undersea mountains

• deposition of sediment from estuaries

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Which feature results when plates of different densities converge and one plate slips under the other?

• a fault

• a ridge

• a trench

• a rift zone

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Oceanic crust is composed mainly of basalt. Continental crust is composed mainly of granite. Why does oceanic crust generally tend to subduct under continental crust when plates collide?

• The oceanic crust is thicker than the continental crust.

• The continental crust is thicker than oceanic crust.

• The oceanic crust is denser than the continental crust.

• The continental crust is denser than the oceanic crust

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

Gloria is studying earthquakes and volcanoes and where they occur. The dark lines in the map show tectonic plate boundaries. The numbers indicate locations where people could live.

If Gloria wanted to live where there were few earthquakes and volcanoes, which location should she choose?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

At which type of margin does mountain building produce mountains composed entirely of preexisting crust material?

• divergent boundary between two oceanic plates

• convergent boundary between two continental plates

• divergent boundary between an oceanic plate and a continental plate

• convergent boundary between an oceanic plate and a continental plate

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

What long-term impact could the destruction of large areas of forests have on Earth?

• increased rates of erosion

• decreased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels

• decreased amounts of acid rain

• increased atmospheric oxygen levels

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

The Red Sea marks a boundary between two tectonic plates that are moving apart.

What name is given to this type of plate tectonic boundary?

• divergent boundary

• convergent boundary

• phase boundary

• transform boundary

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

The Theory of Plate Tectonics is based on

• evidence of sea floor spreading.

• topographic mapping of mountain ranges.

• an analysis of soil at the plate boundaries.

• volcanic activity along coastlines.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

About 75% of the world’s active volcanoes are the result of tectonic activity around which plate?

• North American Plate

• African Plate

• Pacific Plate

• Nazca Plate

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Certain activities occur at different plate boundaries due to movement at the boundary. Which activity would be the MAIN result of two tectonic plates slipping past one another?

• floods

• earthquakes

• island building

• seafloor spreading

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2